This invention relates to firearms and, more particularly, to a firing mechanism which selectively actuates an electronic firing probe into and out of engagement with a non-impact fired ammunition in response to movement of a trigger.
Revolvers have been produced for over a century and, although many components in their firing mechanism have remained relatively unchanged in function and design, continuous efforts have led to improvements in safety, manufacturing, and operation of revolvers. In recent decades, the evolution of improved electronics technology and capabilities has prompted efforts to incorporate electronics into firearms to further improve the cost, manufacturability, and performance of the firearms. For example, a mechanical trigger is displaced by an electronic solenoid in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,085, entitled xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC FIRING SYSTEM FOR TARGET PISTOLxe2x80x9d. U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,153, entitled xe2x80x9cFIREARM BATTERY AND CONTROL MODULExe2x80x9d, incorporates a processor into its ignition system to fire conventional percussion primers.
Electronics have also been incorporated into ignition systems for firearms that use non-conventional primers and cartridges. An xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM FOR FIREARMSxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,174, describes an electronic control system for firing electronically-primed ammunition. The electronic control of the ""174 Patent, however, is hard-wired and lacks the multiple sensor interfaces of the programmable central processing unit that is found with the present invention. A xe2x80x9cGUN WITH ELECTRICALLY-FIRED CARTRIDGExe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,972, describes an electrically-fired gun in which a heat-sensitive primer is ignited by voltage induced across a fuse wire extending through the primer. A xe2x80x9cCOMBINED CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE AND POWER SUPPLY FOR A FIREARMxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,828, shows a laser ignited primer in which an optically transparent plug or window is centered in the case of the cartridge to permit laser ignition of the primer. Power requirements to energize the laser, as well as availability of fused and/or laserignited primers are problematic however. An xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC FIREARM AND PROCESS FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC FIREARMxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,056, shows a firearm for firing electrically activated ammunition having a cartridge sensor and a bolt position sensor. The technology of the ""056 Patent, however, is limited to a firearm with a bolt action. None of the prior art to date fully integrates an electronic control system into a revolver for consistently and effectively firing a non-impact ammunition primer. The present invention is directed to such a revolver.
One object of the present invention is to provide a firing mechanism that linearly actuates a firing probe without delivering a high impact force thereto.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a firing mechanism having a reduced trigger pull force.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a firing mechanism having redundant safety mechanisms to prevent unintentional discharge of the firearm.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a firing mechanism with a reduced trigger pull force.
According to the present invention, a firing mechanism is disclosed for use in a firearm to fire a non-impact fired cartridge. The firearm includes a reciprocating firing probe for communicating electronic signals from a firing apparatus to the cartridge upon forward movement of the firing probe into contact with the cartridge. The firing mechanism includes a trigger supported within a frame of the firearm for rotational movement from a recovered trigger position to a partially-cocked position to a let-off position to a fired position. A hammer is rotatably supported within the frame and has a hammer foot for selectively engaging within a trigger pocket of the trigger for movement with the trigger from the partially-cocked position to the let-off position.
A sear is captured within a sear pocket of the hammer and engagable with a trigger post of the trigger for movement with the trigger from the partially-cocked position to the let-off position. A main spring is operatively engaged between the hammer and the trigger to bias the hammer and the trigger in opposite directions of actuation such that the main spring is compressed by movement of the trigger from the recovered position to the fired position and simultaneously compressed by movement of the hammer from the recovered position toward the let-off position. The firing mechanism further includes a transfer bar engaged within the trigger pocket of the trigger and is reciprocally moveable into and out of engagement with the trigger pocket during rotational movement of the trigger.
The hammer and trigger are further configured so that when the trigger is actuated beyond the let-off position, the hammer disengages from the trigger and is rotationally urged by the main spring toward contact with the transfer bar resulting in forward movement of the firing probe into contact with the cartridge.
One advantage of the present invention is the margin of safety provided by the transfer bar which disengages the firing probe when the trigger is recovered.
Yet another advantage of the firing mechanism of the present invention is the reduced trigger pull force which allows the revolver to be fired more accurately.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of best mode embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.